Album of the Month: So Much for Goodbyes by Billy Strings

If there were an album to draw a new generation into the realm of bluegrass music, this is the one: three-time Grammy award-winning bluegrass musician, singer, and songwriter Billy Strings’s fifth studio album, So Much for Goodbyes.

Strings was introduced to music at a young age, learning the guitar at four, and discovering bluegrass through his stepfather, Terry Barber, as a toddler. However, as he got older, Strings discovered the electric guitar and became captivated by rock and roll artists like Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. In his teenage years, he transitioned into playing electric guitar in heavy metal and punk rock bands. When he drifted away from the metal scene, he delved deep into the world of jam bands like the Grateful Dead and Phish. All of these phases of playing different styles of music ultimately led to Strings becoming one of the most versatile guitar players of his generation. In his solo career, he has managed to pay respect to traditional bluegrass music while also pushing the boundaries of the genre by including influences of many different types of music that aren't traditionally incorporated into bluegrass.

The new album, So Much For Goodbyes, is dedicated to his late mother, who passed away in an accidental overdose. Interestingly, the cover art of the album features a piece of art that was made by his mother. Strings pays homage to the great memories that he had with his mom, as well as the struggles they shared together with addiction. Another aspect that makes this album even more special is that this 16-track farewell to his mom was co-produced by legendary producer T Bone Burnett. They took a deeply organic approach to the creation of this album, setting up a live band around vintage ribbon microphones in Room A of Nashville's storied Sound Emporium to record straight to analog tape.

My personal favorite tracks on this record are “Burn the Other End” and “I Wish I Wanted To.” “Burn the Other End” addresses Strings’s struggle with grief and exhaustion while in the process of touring nationally. I love the edginess of this song. The interplay between the acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle is beautiful. You can really hear Strings’s metal roots in this song, as it is more intense than traditional bluegrass. “I Wish I Wanted To” has a great, upbeat groove. However, the song is about depression and lack of motivation. I love how the end of the track transitions into a more psychedelic jam and feels like a completely different song. The album made an explosive debut on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, landing at #13. This record is an intensive, emotional journey through the different shades of grief and, overall, it captures the chaotic echo of a grieving soul and transforms it into a symphony.